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Blogging Food Health Travel Weather

Thursday Night Mini Thoughts

It’s a special Thursday MORNING edition of my weekly ‘Mini Thoughts’:

– Later today I fly out from MIA to DFW.
– I like to arrive al aeropuerto a good two hours in advance of my flight.
– That’s gives me 90 minutes from terminal entrance to aircraft entrance.
– Check-in and security usually consumes 30 out of those 90 minutes.
– That leaves me with a full hour to relax before I board.
– Oh yeah – and to take my Dramamine.
– Without Dramamine I would get air sick.
– I don’t fly without it because I know what the consequences are.
– I love to stare out my window into the open skies at 37,500 feet.
– It’s outrageously cold out there – colder than minus 40 degrees !
– Meanwhile it’s at least 110 degrees warmer inside the cabin.
– The cabin pressure is the same as that of a 10,000 foot mountain top.
– I’ve never been that high in my life.
– I can only experience it on an aircraft at 37,500 feet.
– Hazy, Hot, & Humid conditions await me in Dallas Texas.
– I won’t see any rain there at all …
– … Unless something happens like what happened last Thursday.
– That’s when DFW was pretty much shut down because of freak weather.
– My brother and his wife and I will be eating at Brio tonight.
– I’ve never been there before.
– It’s a tradition to eat an ENORMOUS Dinner upon my arrival in Texas.
– Everything is BIGGER in Texas.
– I enjoy being a tourist in Texas.
– I don’t wish to live there though.
– I can’t live that far away from the Atlantic Ocean.
– Or the Eastern Time Zone for that matter.
– The blogging shall continue from Texas this weekend.
– TOMORROW I’ve got your ‘Friday Night Blogroll Review’.
– Someone will win the ‘Major Bloggie Award’ for this week.
– It’s not too late to post a blog for consideration.
– Go forth and enjoy this day that awaits you.

Categories
Animals Food Humor Television Travel

Saturday Morning Shenanigans

THIS MORNING I awoke wide awake at roughly 5:15 AM. I took a hot shower, put some cool clothes on, and pretty much rushed to the Cracker Barrel in Florida City (where all of the food is) so that I could be there a few minutes after opening time at 6 AM. And I was, and I did – partake in an ENORMOUS breakfast o’ champions consisting of buttery french toast goodness with globs of (near) maple syrup, scrambled eggs with melted swiss cheese, and three hot and tasty sausage links.

I also got a haircut this morning at the legendary Woody’s of Homestead. My brother’s wife told me to do so in preparation of a family portrait next weekend.

Check out this Shenanigan from my E-Mail Inbox:

Anyone want to make any bets as to a successful outcome on this one ?

Survivor, “Texas-Style”

Because of the popularity of the “Survivor” shows, Texas is planning to do a show entitled, “Survivor, Texas-Style.”

1.  The contestants will all start in Dallas, then drive to Waco, Austin, San Antonio, over to Houston, and down to Brownsville.

2.  They will then proceed up to Del Rio, El Paso, Midland, Odessa, Lubbock, and Amarillo.

3.  From there they will go on to Abilene, Fort Worth, and finally back to Dallas.

4.  Each will be driving a pink Volvo with bumper stickers that read: “I’m Gay”, “I Love the Dixie Chicks”, “Boycott Beef”, “I Voted for Obama”, “George Strait Sucks”, “Hillary in 2012”, and “I’m Here To Confiscate Your Guns”.

The first one to make it back to Dallas alive wins.

And now here’s a little diddy from the classic TV series “Hee Haw“:

Those are my ‘Saturday Morning Shenanigans’ for now. Stay tuned for a fresh new edition of the ‘Saturday Night Retro’ later tonight, but first – REMEMBER THIS !

Dog Vs Hot Dog

Categories
Blogging Food Movies Shopping Weather

Tuesday Night Grab Bag O’ Thoughts

The Tuesday night tradition CONTINUES:

1.  Since the rainy season began with a vengeance not quite 4 weeks ago the Homestead / Florida City area (including the northern communities up to Cutler Bay) have received between 16 and 18 inches of rain. My forecast from a few months ago (during the severe dry season) of a much wetter than normal rainy season is right on track. I may not know how to fix things, but I can give you a reasonably accurate weather forecast.

2.  We’re actually at the start of a short dry spell. Thunderstorms should be less numerous over the next several days through this weekend. Any isolated storms that do develop should be quick and benign. Expect lots of bright sunshine during the days with highs approaching the low-90s.

3.  I visited The Falls (Shopping Center) on 3 out of 5 days from last Thursday through this Monday. My economic impact to the mall exceeded $550 combined during those 3 days. Talk about a 2009 Economic Stimulus Package !  Nowadays I typically visit The Falls perhaps 3 to 5 times per YEAR. I feel like I’m reliving my childhood whenever I visit The Falls because it’s the first place I really ever hung out at on a regular basis when I first moved here back in the late-1980s. One thing is for sure. I like how they’ve remodeled the longtime United Artists / Regal Cinemas there. That old movie theatre is in much better shape than another one I know. I’ll have to see more movies there in the future.

4.  TODAY I ate Lunch at Beef O’ Brady’s. I did NOT have the Reuben sandwich there although they do make a good one. I enjoyed the Watterson instead. It’s basically hot roast beef piled high with melted swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo in-between two crispy slices of grilled rye bread dude !  I always enjoy great food and great service at the Beef’s. My only ‘Beef’ with the joint is its obscure location in relation to my home and workplace.

5.  In just 8 days I embark on yet another short trip to the northeastern suburbs of Dallas Texas to visit my brother, his wife, their dog, our Mom, our Dad, and their cat. I’ll be there for Father’s Day Weekend. Don’t worry – the blogging will continue every single day with all of the regular weekly series on their normal days.

Categories
Blogging Food Travel

The Search For The Greatest Reuben (Or Pastrami) On Rye – The Saga Continues

During the Summer of 2007 I embarked on an exciting culinary journey to discover, identify, and declare the greatest Reuben sandwich known to mankind (or at least me, myself, and I). I managed to visit (officially) 6 cool places aqui en South Florida as well as a couple of popular joints over in North Texas.

Click on the various hyperlinks below to re-live the Reuben magic that was from my original MySpace blog

Part 8 – New York New York Deli – 15 September 2007

Part 7– Bennigan’s – 30 August 2007

Part 6 – Broadway Subs – 28 August 2007

Parts 5 / 4 / 3 – Ruberto’s Pizza & Deli / Bennigan’s / Jason’s Deli – July 2007

Part 2– Arby’s – 22 June 2007

Part 1 – The Original Lots Of Lox Deli – 13 June 2007

I don’t believe that I have even come close to finding that oh-so-perfect Reuben sandwich, and I’m not so sure why I gave up on the endeavour after just 3 short months back then.

In order to right this most obvious wrong I’ve decided to resurrect this madness, and it all starts back up TODAY !

I ate Lunch at Hops at The Falls for the first time in several years. I had eaten there plenty of times in the past ever since they first opened for business. I enjoyed their hot and delicious Reuben sandwich (what a shock) and fries along with cold and refreshing Coca Cola Classic. The Reuben deserved an ‘A-‘ grade (I’m sure I can find better – but this one was rather scrumptious), and the fries I’ll give a ‘B-‘ (hot but a bit tasteless).

Do you know where I can find the greatest Reuben (or Pastrami) on rye ?  Send me the 4-1-1, and I’ll check it out for myself !  MAZAL TOV !